Collision News | General

CREF recognizes 163 career programs with collision school career readiness benchmark

The Collision Repair Education Foundation announced it has recognized 163 schools with its new designation program called the “Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark” that was launched in 2016. This is an increase of 35 percent from 121 schools that participated in program and achieved a benchmark in its inaugural year.

Under the new program developed by the Foundation, schools were classified into three tiers:
• Tier 1: Advanced,
• Tier 2: Proficient, or
• Tier 3: Developing.

The designation was determined by the Foundation based upon information provided by schools about the capabilities of their program on the Collision Repair Education Makeover grant application.

Schools are recognized at different levels based upon criteria that focus around the number of hours of instruction, curriculum in place, along with the tools, equipment, and supplies a school uses to prepare their students for employment in the collision industry.

Participation in the Makeover grant program provides schools with necessary items to help them advance to higher levels and expand their programs to best serve students and the industry. The goal is to help every school acquire the resources to eventually achieve a Tier 1: Advanced school designation.

“I want to congratulate all of the schools on their achievements for the Benchmark program,” said Melissa Marscin, Collision Repair Education Foundation Director of Operations/Administration. “The number of schools participating in this program continues to rise and the Collision Repair Education Foundation is proud to support those schools in their efforts to achieve the Tier 1 status.”

A complete list of schools and their Tier designations is available below: